Hearing aids



May 28, 1957 w. H. MORGAN HEARING AIDS Filed Aug. 19, 1955 FIG. 2

FIG.

FIG. 3

I INVENTOR- 25m Maw ATTORNEY United States Patent HEARING AIDS WilliamH. Morgan, New Keusingtou, Pa.

Application August 19, 1953, Serial No. 375,288 1 Claim. (Cl. 179-107)This invention relates to new and useful improvements in hearing aidsand it is among the objects thereof to provide a hearing aid that isself-contained without the need for extension cords and the like andwhich may be conveniently used by placement to the ear.

The invention further contemplates the use of a hearing aid in which theacoustical device is replaceably mounted in a battery case and springbiased to constitute the ear contacting element a yielding member whenapplied for use.

The invention will become more apparent from a consideration of theaccompanying drawing constituting a part hereof and in which likereference characters designate like parts and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a hearing aid embodying theprinciples of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view partially in cross section of thedevice shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof.

With reference to the several figures of the drawing, the numeral 1generally designates a conventional hearing aid case with only theessential elements shown, the case being provided with a flanged cover 2for accessibility to the conventional acoustical device and batteries(not shown) in the interior thereof. The wall of the case 1 iscontracted at the top as shown at 3 and perforated with slots 4, Fig. 3to receive the terminals 5 of an attachment plug 6 having a cord 7extending to an acoustical device generally designated by the numeral 8.Terminals 9 within the case, for example, for making electrical contactwith the terminals 5 are electrically connected by leads 10 to thebatteries not shown. The acoustical equipment 8 is mounted on the plate11 which is resiliently mounted by springs 12 to a partition 13 securedto the casing wall by screws 14. The plate 11 is provided with ears 15that interact with catches 16 so that the plate and the acousticalequipment carried thereby may be removed from the casing 1 when theterminal plug 6 is lifted out of the receptacle in the manner shown inFig. 2.

The acoustical equipment is provided with an ear piece 17 which may bemade of plastic or other material, which by virtue of the coil springs12 will yield when contacted with the ear. Terminals 18 and 19 areprovided to contact terminals 20 and 21 when the ear piece is depressedagainst coil springs 12 to connect the ear piece in the circuit of thehearing aid case through terminals 5.

In the use of the device which is of a small compact form, it may beconveniently carried in the pocket and placed to the ear when a hearingaid is required. It is free from the hook-up cord that exists when theacoustical element is placed in the ear in conventional forms of hearingaids. It is also evident that hearing is aided in the use of the presentdevice by virtue of the cupping of the element in the hand as it isapplied to the side of the head in the same manner as when the hand iscupped to aid hearing without the use of a hearing aid. By removing theplug 6 from receptacle slots 4 and inserting the standard ear plug cordterminal, not shown, the device may be used in the conventional mannerby placing the case 1 in a garment pocket.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated anddescribed, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications may be made in the details of construction withoutdeparting from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

In combination with a conventional hearing aid of an auxiliaryacoustical device comprising a plate having an acoustical element withan ear phone mounted on a partition wall of said hearing aid, springsdisposed between said plate and partition wall to yieldingly urge theear phone into an extended position beyond the wall of said hearing aid,terminals on said partition wall and terminals on said auxiliaryacoustical device in alignment with said first-named terminals tocontact therewith upon pressure being exerted by pressing on the earphone, said terminals having conductors connected to an outlet plug forconnection with an outlet in a wall of the hearing aid, said auxiliaryacoustical device and terminal plug being removable from the hearing aiddevice as a unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,659,772 OHara Nov. 17, 1953

